Panic attacks are frightening, intense episodes of fear that are accompanied by physical and cognitive symptoms. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, symptoms usually seem to come out of the blue and peak fairly quickly, generally within 10 minutes or so. Despite their brevity, they carry a big punch, and many people who experience panic attacks may develop panic disorder, which is defined by recurrent panic attacks accompanied by preoccupation with future attacks and sometimes drastic measures to avoid them.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, at least four of thirteen symptoms are necessary to diagnose a panic attack.
Hyperarousal
Panic attacks are believed to be the result of the fight or flight system gone awry. When the body is preparing to fight an aggressor or to run away from it, heart rate increases to provide better blood flow and increased oxygen to the muscles and organs. Even though there is no physical threat, a panic attack mimics this preparation for battle, and sufferers may experience racing or pounding heart, sweating, trembling and feelings of chest pain.
Feelings of Suffocation
Feelings of suffocation are among the most uncomfortable symptoms of panic attacks. People experiencing a panic attack may report feeling short of breath or that they are being choked or smothered. Unfortunately, feeling as if you can't breathe often leads to more panic, thus exacerbating the panic attack.
Cognitive Symptoms
Panic attacks are not just physical. People experiencing panic attacks may fear that they're dying, especially if it's one of the first times they have had a panic attack. Others may fear that they're going crazy or are about to lose control of their behavior. Some may experience derealization, or a sense of things not being real, or depersonalization, which is a sensation of being outside of one's body and watching the experience from a distance.
Feeling Dizzy and Faint
Fears of dying or going crazy can be fueled by feelings of dizziness and light-headedness experienced during panic attacks. Panic attack sufferers often report feeling unsteady and as if they are about to faint. Though they rarely do, fear of fainting can increase panic, thus intensifying the physical sensations.
Nausea and Abdominal Pain
Panic attacks are often accompanied by nausea and other abdominal discomfort, which may be accompanied by a fear of vomiting or loss of bowel control. People suffering panic attacks rarely vomit or lose control of their bowels, but as with other symptoms of panic, the fear of these things happening generally results in increased panic, which only makes the physical sensations stronger.
Tingling and Chills
Increased blood flow to vital organs means less fuel for the rest of the body, which can result in numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet, as well as chills or hot flashes all over the rest of the body.
